Recipes

As much as we all love a barbecue, the English weather is so unpredictable that you can't rely on it for your favourite recipes. Oven roasting is much more predictable and spatchcocking will mean the chicken cooks more quickly and is more moist as a result. Just one word of advice - wear gloves when preparing the Scotch Bonnet chillies - you have been warned!

Ingredients

1 tbsp all spice berries

1 tsp black peppercorns

2 Scotch bonnet chillies, seeded and minced

1.5 tsp dried thyme

3 spring onions, white part only, roughly chopped

1 shallot, roughly chopped

1/2 tsp cinnamon

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 tsp five-spice powder

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1 tsp salt

4 tbsp lime juice

4 tbsp white wine vinegar

1 tbsp vegetable oil

2 tbsp dark soy sauce

1.5 kg free-range chicken, whole

Instructions

1. Grind the all spice berries and peppercorns into a fine powder. Add these and the remaining dry ingredients to a food processor and blend well.2. With the motor still running, slowly add the wet ingredients until combined into a marinade paste.3. Prepare the chicken by cutting either side of the back bone with some kitchen shears and removing (this can be used for making stocks). Place the rest of the bird on a board, breast-side up, and push down with the heel of your hand to break the breast bone and flatten. Insert metal skewers through each breast and into the opposite thigh. This will help the chicken keep its shape during cooking. 4. Massage the marinade all over and under the skin. Cover and leave in the fridge overnight.5. Preheat the oven to 200C.6. Cook the chicken for 25 minutes breast side down and then a further 25 minutes breast side up. Leave to rest, covered, for 10 minutes before serving.